Whenever I finish up a big project, I like to ease myself back in with something short and sweet (also, I had a really bad muslin disaster with another pattern and I don’t want to talk about it, except to say that woven kimono sleeves are clearly my Kryptonite). Knit fabrics are especially good for this, since most of the fitting works itself out in the form of stretch fabric.
I’ve had Butterick 5078 lurking in my stash for a couple of years now – it’s out of print; I picked it up during my local fabric store’s annual “Buy $10 Worth Of Fabric, Get A Free Out of Print Pattern!” sale (yes, that is a real thing. It is hell on my bank account, if you want to know the truth.). I liked the line art as I reminded me of a dress I used to own – until it went the way of the Tragically Cheap Buffalo and died in the wash one day – but I never got around to making it because it sucks up a surprising amount of knit fabric, which I never seem to find significant yardages of at the thrift store.
But hey, this fabric is pretty cool, yeah? It was given to me by an awesome blog reader, Heather (yo girl, if you got a blog PLZ LINK ME UP), who hit the motherload of vintage fabric at an estate sale and sold a big wad of it to me for stupid cheap. This stuff is perfect for this dress – fairly stable with a slight stretch, a nice thick warm fabric for winter. The print has flowers and butterflies, which isn’t exactly my thing, but the grey on black kind of cancels out the extra girly girly. I had about 1/4 yard less than I actually needed, but I was able to get everything cut out on grain with some clever cutting layouts and a lot of screaming and cursing.
Speaking of the cutting layouts… this shit is weird. The bodice front & waistband drape (the runching around the waist) are actually cut on the bias, not the straight grain. For some reason, cutting my knit fabric this way caused the pieces to lose most of their stretch! I KNOW. I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around that one. Obviously I can still pull the dress on, but it’s a tight fit.
The runching on this dress is so weird. I initially thought it might look better with a lighter, more fluid knit – but I scoped out a few on pattern review, and I actually think my stable knit looks a little better, even if it is bulky. There is a whole ‘nother waistband underneath the runched one, so the drape could easily be omitted for a smooth waist.
I sewed this up in a straight size 8, with no alterations other than shortening the hem about 3″. For future makes, the front bodice definitely needs to be lengthened – it cuts straight across my boobs. Not really a good look! And I think the runching could stand to start a little lower than it does right now. The bulk is kind of making me look thicker than I am.
I like the skirt, though!!
I tried to take a ~twirly picture and instead, I got this. This is the second most awkward picture I’ve ever posted on my blog (first awkward obviously being the teeny peeny I neglected to mention I had… haha, forreal, though, I am so delighted to see so many people have their mind in the same gutter as meeee!). It also made me laugh really hard when I saw it, and I thought it would be cruel to NOT share it with the rest of the world. God, I’m so generous, you guys.
Here you can see that unfortunate bodice-meets-midriff-right-over-my-boobs seam. Also, this dress needs some bra snap holder things.
Who am I kidding, I’d never be arsed to sew that kind of shit on a KNIT DRESS.
I sewed the entire thing on my serger, minus the hems – which I sewed on my machine with a double-needle. Overall, I think this dress took about 2 hours to sew.
To be honest, I didn’t like this dress after I pulled it on. The bias cut made it really difficult to pull over my head, the runching covered what I feel like is one of my better assets, and the horrible bust seam placement made me feel like I had these super weird high and flat boobs. UHM.
However, it is comfortable. Like, the kind of sneaky comfortable that makes you feel like you’re getting away with wearing pajamas. And Landon likes it – his words, “That looks like you bought it at a store. That’s supposed to be a compliment!” And it’s polyester knit, which means I don’t ever have to iron it. I would like to make this again, provided I can find the right knit.
LLADYBIRD 
Well, I am not wearing it, so I can’t see all the things that you are criticizing about this dress. I like it, and I think it looks really good on you. You should sew it again and make those mods you want to make. Good for Landon! He has learned how to say the right things to his honey about her projects. I love me a trainable man!
lulz at the teeny peeny.
And my husband does the opposite of Landon; if he hates something I’m wearing, he says “did you make that?” He did that with a shirt I bought at the Gap on clearance. Translation: “that’s hella ugly, did you make it?”
I never saw the teeny peeny. Was too busy checking out the fit lol
And now you will never unsee it! MWAHAHAHA!
I get what you’re saying about the fit through the bust and waist but that neckline is so flattering on you!
Thanks! I like the neckline too; I think it’ll look eons better once I lengthen that piece. I can see this pattern making up a nice shirt too 🙂
Love your haircut — you look like a cuter, more you-made Maggie Gyllenhaal!
(I think the dress looks good, although I kind of agree about the ruching.)
Ha! That’s so funny – last year when I cut my hair (because, yes, I haven’t had a haircut in over a year), I brought in a photo of Maggie to copy. She has the best hair! So thank you!
Delurking because this post Cracked. Me. Up. I have had so many of my favorite clothes go the way of that darned Tragically Cheap Buffalo; thank goodness that I now can sew replacements! Thank you for pointing out the teeny peeny for those of us who were too busy checking out the fit the first time. That is indeed generous of you. Also, my husband totally says the same thing as Landon when he’s trying to pay a compliment!
I recently tried to cut bias knit cuffs for a top and experienced the same sudden disappearance of stretch issue…no solution here, but it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one! Good thing your dress still fits over your shoulders, though — it’s really cute on you, especially with the new hair length! And I know what you mean about the girly print, but that black/grey thing totally makes it less obvious.
I don’t know where to start. Teeny peeny. ‘It looks like you bought it in a store.’ One of your other readers pointing out what I now can’t stop seeing – that you look like Maggie Gyllenhaal. Another classic blog post. Just another day in the life of Lladybird…
What can I say? I aim to please! 🙂
That’s a super sweet dress and Landon is right, does look store bought cos it’s so well made! I like the ruching around the waist, looks like a cummerbund which I like. I like belts.
Love the shed background in the pics 🙂
Even having pointed out the issues I can’t really see them, I think it’s looks lovely. And your hair is fab, I’m dithering with having mine cut and you’re making me feel braver. As for the ‘teeny peeny’, I’d like to poke my mind’s eye out! 🙂
I actually think the dress looks really really good on you. You could lengthen the bodice a bit, but that is all. Very nice:)
Lovely dress. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…you look like liz taylor!
I just clicked on the teeny peeny link and cannot stop laughing. That is the “best” picture lol. Totally made my bad day better and the neighbors probably think there’s a crazy next door (which is true).
That is pretty damn awesome for something you’re kind of meh about! Geez! I think the fit looks great, and nothing beats something that feels like PJs but looks like a hundred bucks. 🙂
The thing with the boobs? Happens to me All the time. I can almost never buy things with seams there. This one isn’t so bad- I’ve found that when it cuts off just the very bottom of the boob, it works out just fine- no one besides you can really tell…
I think it looks great. Weird that it is cut on the bias, I just cat out Butterick 4914 and that isn’t cut on the bias.
This dress may not be what you thought it would be, but it is fab! Wear it with pride and know that you are lovely in it.
It’s lovely! Great job!
Everyone already said it so well! Very cute, love the ruching, and just plain ol’ fun to read!
I love it! I always wished I could sew. I’m horrible at it!
http://owleyevintage.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/OwlEyeVintage
I think I’m really late in saying this but i LOVE your new hair. So cute. Anyway, great dress and I think my waters almost broke when I laughed so hard at your teeny peeny pic 😀
DUDE if I end up making you give birth, you better name the resulting baby Lauren hahaha :B
For sure!
I adore this! The silhouette is fantastic balanced. Plus you’re so productive, I’m in awe.
Now I have to search for the pattern so I can totally rip you off, YES!
I think its adorable! Bulky ruching around the waist is an unfortunate detail unless it’s that mysterious “sucks you in” kind – which apparently this is not – BUT you still look fabulously svelte and curvy from where I’m standing so I say no harm no foul! And really, knit dresses (especially ones like this that look kind of fancy and not like a large sweatshirt) are a magical wardrobe item – like “UGH I have cramps but I have to go to this THING called “WORK” and they expect me to look nice…” magical!
Cute! You look like you just stepped out of an old timey movie.
Lovely, lovely, lovely as always 🙂
I’m wearing a dress today where the seam line bifucates my boob in an unfortunate way. LOVE the teeny weeny photo! The dress looks good! I’m with you on finding warm knits for the winter.
When I first saw this, my immediate thought was “oh she looks so pretty!” not that you don’t always, but I really like this combination of fabric and style on you. I can understand what you mean about hating some aspects of it, but you should know that your hate doesn’t translate to the overall effect – it looks really fabulous on you 🙂
That is such a perfect shaped knit dress….but weird what you say about the bias-un stretch phenomenon. Teeny peeny and a coat that is like a vaginster ( my word cos I can’t bring myself to write it for real) really makes you a sewing blogging legend Lauren….make as many thurlows as you like, we’ll keep coming back for more!! 😉
It looks fabulous on you! I can definitely see the issues you’re seeing, but truthfully, I didn’t notice them until you pointed it out (I hate when things bulk up my waist and flatten my boobs). I think you are rocking that print hard core with your fab hair. TEENY PEENY OMG. Sometimes I love you so much that I run out of words and just cry from laughing instead.
Hey girl! I don’t think your dress makes you look thick and I really had to look hard to find that seam (but I know what you mean about that kind of thing – it drives me bonkers). I think you look great in that snappy dress and it doesn’t hurt if you say it’s comfy (and I wouldn’t have guessed about the butterflies and flowers)! Maybe just wear it on errands and to the grocery store then?
Gee, you sew fast! How do you do it?
To be fair, this was a very quick pattern – not a lot of seams, and sewn almost entirely on a serger 🙂
You (and Scruffy Badger) are the cause of many moments of laugh-out-loud, snorting-water-through-nose, spitting-on-screen hilarity. This would be fine if I didn’t insist on reading your blogs on my phone at work occasionally and then trying to look innocent in front of my colleagues. I am VERY grateful your teeny peeny came to my attention at home, where I could enjoy it to the full.
Also, for a dress that you only half like, this looks amazing on you!
This is so cute! I have serious fabric envy right now. The neckline and the skirt are so perfect for you. I honestly didn’t notice the things you mentioned until you pointed them out. Haha! My husband has said the exact same thing a few times about things I’ve made. It truly is a compliment, if you ask me. I don’t know about you, but I never want the garments I sew to look “homemade.” I think everything you make looks professional and beautiful. 🙂
De-lurking here to scream with laughter at the tiny peen. I didn’t notice it before, but NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT!!!
Anyway, love the print on the poly knit.
After reading a few of your blog posts, I realized I need to learn how to sew. Every lady on my mother’s side of the family inherited the sewing gene, except me! The dress turned out awesome, and “teeny peeny” really brought the lolz 🙂
See, I adore this. But I get it, it’s not a YOU print, and it’s weird to have the lovely things about knit fabric not apply. But this is fabulous on you and the shape is just gorgeous. I would love to see it in a bright jewel knit or something like that, the neckline and shape are just the flipping best.
LOVE the dress…..gorgeous !!!!! 🙂
This may be weird, I like the dress….but I freaking love your hair! It suits you so dang well. It makes this dress and the eShakti one look so glamorous! Nice score on the knit.